Social Workers Without Borders: lunchtime Social Work Seminar, Monday 1st October

We are delighted to welcome Karen Goodman of Social Workers Without Borders to give the first social work lunchtime seminar of the new academic year.

Karen's presentation will focus on the work undertaken by Social Workers Without Borders (SWWB) in Calais, France and the UK from 2016 to date.  SWWB’s work has focussed on three key areas, direct work, campaigning and education.  The direct work involves undertaking Best Interest Assessments, informed by the Human Rights Act and Article 8 as it relates to the rights to private life and family.  Their campaign work has included speaking out on issues affecting those affected by No Recourse to Public Funding and the release of joint statements with Social Work Action Network (SWAN) calling upon the US Government to stop the separation of children from their families on the Mexican Border.  The seminar will be an interactive presentation aimed at exploring the role SWWB takes in challenging inequalities faced by those affected by borders such as asylum seekers and refugees.   

Karen Goodman has almost 40  years experience working in social work children’s services with many years of front line childcare and child protection social work and management.   Karen has managed a wide range of statutory services including managing hospital social work, child protection services and numerous teams for children in the care sector. Karen’s specialist area of work is with separated and unaccompanied asylum seeking children. Karen headed up the services for these children and young people in the key reception local authorities of Hillingdon and Kent. Karen has written widely and presented on this subject.

Karen has experience of the voluntary sector as the Chief Executive of an organisation for asylum seeking families, as Head of Children and Family Services for Norwood and as an active Trustee of a number of charities.

Karen lectured in social work at London University and  was a Professional Officer for BASW, the British Association of Social Workers. Karen now works as an independent social worker and consultant.

The seminar will take place in Lecture Theatre A in the Lecture Centre.  This free event is open to Brunel students, staff, social work practitioners and members of the public.  You do not need to register to attend.

You can find out about Social Workers without Borders here: https://www.socialworkerswithoutborders.org/